Article Details

This study determined the effect of the laboratory approach on basic science students’ interest and achievement in energy concepts in Lafia, Nasarawa State. Four research questions guided the study, and four null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental research was used for this study. The population of the study comprised 3672 Upper Basic II students in Lafia, Nasarawa, for the 2024/2025 academic session. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw the sample for this study. Two instruments, namely, Energy Interest Rating Scale (EIRS) and Energy Achievement Test (EAT), were employed for data collection. Kuder-Richardson 21 (K-R21) reliability was used to determine the internal consistency of EAT, which yielded a coefficient of 0.79, and Cronbach's Alpha formula was used to determine the reliability of EIRS, yielding 0.81 as a coefficient. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. Findings from this research revealed that the laboratory approach proved to be a more engaging and effective teaching strategy for both improving interest and achievement in energy topics compared to the conventional method. Gender disparities in achievement outcomes suggested a need for strategies to support female students better and ensure equity in interactive learning environments. The findings emphasize the importance of hands-on, student-centered instructional methods for fostering deeper engagement and better academic performance. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made to enhance the effectiveness of teaching energy through the laboratory approach and address the observed gender disparities: the laboratory approach should be adopted more widely in teaching energy. Schools and educational institutions should prioritize interactive, hands-on learning methods to engage students more effectively and improve learning outcomes.